'Art industry should not glorify drug abuse': CM Stalin warns social media 'easy money' may drag youths down wrong paths

TRICHY: Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin at Trichy on Friday urged the art industry not to glorify drug abuse in their creations. Flagging off the 'Equality March' and awareness against drug abuse by MDMK chief Vaiko from Trichy to Madurai, Stalin said that the state and union governments must work together to prevent drugs from entering the country and being smuggled between states.

He said that Tamil Nadu govt is providing required support to the union and other state governments to tackle drug abuse."People in art industry should create their works with responsibility. Explaining the ill effects of drugs is fine, but glorifying will destroy an entire generation. Parents can shower their affection to children but should not silently spectate when children deviates. Teachers and influencers must raise awareness against drug abuse," Stalin said in the meeting organised at Thennur Uzhavar Sandhai ground in Trichy.

CM said that chances are high for the 'easy money' earned through social media platforms including YouTube to drag youths to wrong paths. Stalin urged parents to be more responsible in raising children, and he insisted that siblings and relatives monitor youths in their families and interact with them often to let off the burden and prevent youths from choosing wrong paths.Speaking about the need to create awareness among people on communal harmony through such Equality March taken up by MDMK leader Vaiko, CM said that caste and religious conflicts have become an important issue.

He said that even union minister and those in responsible positions are engaging in hate speech to instigate clashes between two groups. "For their personal ideology, divisive forces are destroying the country's unity and peace. Minorities and scheduled caste people are living in fear. Unlike in the past, recent Christmas celebrations saw violences unfolded in many parts of the country. We have celebrated together but now divisive forces are working to pull people apart.

Instead of using spirituality (aanmeegam) to teach love (anbu), some groups are using it to create a fuss (vambu)," Stalin said.

He urged people to stop both drug addiction and communal addiction from entering Tamil Nadu. CM said that drug abuse and its ill effects should be made subject of discussion among youths through such awareness walk. "Vaiko should refrain from engaging in such hard walks in future, it's my request, your (Vaiko) health is important to us," Stalin said.Earlier, VCK chief and MP Thol Thirumavalavan in a veiled attack at TVK and NTK in his speech said that forces supporting Sanatana forces wearing Dravidam and Tamil Nationalism as masks are engaging in divisive politics. "We have to stand united and defeat them in the ensuing assembly election. Dravidam is not against Tamil, it was because of Dravidam, Tamil is still alive in the state. If Periyar or Anna or Kalaignar Karunanidhi) had not protested against Hindi imposition, Tamil Nadu would have become another Hindi speaking state, Tamil Nationalism wouldn't have raised," Thirumavalavan said.